I'm well, going abroad to save judiciary: Sinha
Staff Correspondent | Update: 00:14, Oct 14, 2017
Chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha on Friday dismissed reports of his ill health as he left his official residence for airport to fly to Australia.
He, however, admitted that he is embarrassed at the criticism levelled at him by the prime minister, ministers, and political leadership over a verdict.
While leaving his Hare Road residence for the airport to catch an Australia-bound flight on Friday night, the beleaguered chief justice revealed his position for the first time after the government claimed that the
chief justice sought month-long leave on account of his illness and going abroad.
The chief justice, however, said he is going abroad on his own and will return home for the sake of country’s judiciary, expressing his anxiousness over “the independence of the judiciary”.
on account of his illness and going abroad.
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SK Sinha got out of his car when it reached the main entrance and talked to waiting newsmen for about two minutes when he claimed that he is completely well and not fleeing the country.
“I am going [abroad] temporarily so that the judiciary does not get blemished,” he told the media.
Then he asked the newsmen to go through his letter to know his position. The letter written on the letterhead of the chief justice with an initial of SK Sinha was put up at the main entrance of the chief justice’s official residence shortly after he left the place.
He along with his wife flew for Australia by a Singapore Airlines flight at 11:55pm Friday night. He left his residence around 10:00pm.
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“I am completely well. But I am really embarrassed at the way the political leadership, lawyers, especially prime minister and several ministers have recently criticised me personally over a verdict,” Sinha began his letter.
“I strongly believe that a certain quarter in the government presented my verdict in a distorted manner before the prime minister and that’s why she [prime minister] got enraged at me in a fit of pique which, I believe, will be dissipated soon.
“At the same time, I am anxious over the independence of the judiciary. Because, yesterday [Thursday] the law minister said, quoting acting chief justice, that he [acting CJ] will soon bring changes in the Supreme Court administration.
“There is no convention of interference in the CJ’s administration either from acting chief justice or from the government. He [acting CJ] will carry out routine duties only. This has been the convention for long.
Read more: CJ Sinha, wife get Australian visa
“If the interference is made in the CJ’s administration, it can easily be assumed that the government is interfering in the higher court and it will strain the relations between the government and the judiciary. And this will in no way bring good to the state,” read the chief justice’s letter.
Chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and the ruling party leadership including the prime minister and the law minister were at loggerheads following the 16th amendment annulment verdict which scrapped parliament’s power to sack judges in July.
Several ministers met the chief justice and rumours had it that the chief justice would be sent on leave.
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